From the city of Rhodes across the mountains to Monolithos is one of the best road trips you can do in Rhodes with stunning mountainous views, plenty of attractions to experience and beautiful shorelines.
Be prepared to reserve some buffer time for multiple pit stops as I'm sure you will. That is why it is recommended to begin as early as possible in order to have flexibility.
Views on the route
In terms of distance, it’s about 80 kilometres. That is about 1hr 50minutes without any stops. But you will definitely want to have multiple stops on the way!
In our opinion it would be preferable to reserve one full day for the road trip.
The stretch of road will have you passing by mountains and forests covered in pines and cypresses, turquoise waters and beautiful natural beaches.
As you can see you’re in for a scenic drive that will give you a glimpse of all the altitudes and natural environments of Rhodes.
Are you still wondering if a road trip is worth it? Here are the Rhodes to Monolithos route highlights:
-Beautiful pine covered forests
-Thickly pine-covered mountains
-Natural springs
-Kallithea spa
-Eleousa abandoned village
-St. Nicholas Kountourioti byzantine church
-Herb & honey kiosk
-Profitis Ilias Mountain
-Sianna honey
-Monolithos Castle
The route is 1 hour 50 minutes - it might sound short but it definitely is full of aesthetic and scenic stimulation.
The route starts from Rhodes city which is the capital of the island of Rhodes featuring a population of 60,000. It’s your gateway city and great to start your road trip from!
Rhodes city is a central location. Here you will find plenty of accommodation options and low-budget and luxury restaurants and cafés. Even though it is a city, Rhodes is already the first taste of beach paradise. The turquoise waters are visible or around the city and Ixia’s “windy beach” is the most common beach destination in the capital of the island.
The route begins from Kallithea coast which is your second glimpse to the beach paradise of Rhodes. You can have your morning coffee in the absolutely stunning surroundings of Kallithea Spa. You can also take a morning dip as there is an organized beach in Kallithea.
Kallithea Spa
The route continues through the tourist resort of Faliraki and onto the Rhodes-Lindos road. You will turn right towards Archipoli in order to access the mountain of Profitis Ilias.
The next possible pit stop is at the Seven Springs (Epta Piges) which is a stunning gorge that has seven sparkling springs and a few rivers which never run out, even in the hottest summer season. In these romantic surroundings you can also drink the refreshing water of the springs. There are also walking trails in the area.
Once you continue through the village of Archipoli and through the pine forests you will access the village of Eleousa which was built for Italian lumberjacks during the occupation. Here you will find an abandoned ghost-town as a sign of the Italian influence on the island. The village of Eleousa was called Campochiaro during those times. The village was firstly inhabited by sawyers and lumberjacks from Northern Italy. During the war it served as a huge military base with 20,000 soldiers based there. After the war once Rhodes (and the Dodecanese islands) merged with the rest of Greece it was noticed to be a suitable spot for tuberculosis patients.
Now the buildings have been abandoned for a few decades and it is a very interesting stop to go and explore these buildings that certainly have seen a lot.
Close to Eleousa there is another interesting spot to explore - the abandoned Villa de Vecchi which belonged to the governor (Cesare de Vecchi) of Rhodes during the Italian regime and which was supposed to be Benito Mussolini's retirement house. Things didn’t go as planned, Mussolini was executed and since then the villa has been abandoned. It has been for sale for nearly a decade but no buyer has been found therefore it is free to roam for all the visitors. You can still recognise the beautiful architecture of the villa as well as the breathtaking views from the balcony.
After Profitis Ilias Mountain you will drive downslope towards the Southwestern shoreline of the island. The scenery is simply stunning as you see steep slopes covered in trees and the warmth of the Aegean sea below. If you keep your windows open you might be able to smell the wild sage, oregano, thyme and rosemary that grow on the slopes.
There are many spots by the road where you can park and enjoy the views and possibly have a picnic. One of the spots has a kiosk that sells wild herbs, honey and spirits collected from the surrounding area. It is run by a lovely elderly couple who are always ready to offer refreshments for the road.
Once you reach the village Sianna, you will notice plenty of honey shops. This village is famous for its honey production and most of the honey from Rhodes is produced here. We definitely recommend buying honey for the way home. Rhodian honey gets its aroma from wild herbs and pine, especially thyme. Its texture is naturally perfectly runny and thick. Sianna is a good place to buy honey for back home.
After Sianna you will arrive at the village of Monolithos. Monolithos is a picturesque village in the mountains. At the village you have to climb up to the medieval castle of Monolithos - the views from the castle are absolutely magnificent. The castle is free of entrance and offers breathtaking views to the Mediterranean. The sunset at the Monolithos castle is extraordinary and is the perfect way to relax after the drive.
Another option to relax is at the closeby Fournoi beach. The beach is sandy and wild. The beach is recommended especially for those enjoying the less touristy beaches.
Comments